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Valencia batting cleanup while Perez rests

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Valencia's RBI single 0:17

5/7/14: Danny Valencia sends a single to left field to bring in Eric Hosmer and push the Royals' lead to 3-0

By Dick Kaegel
/
MLB.com |

SEATTLE -- Because he was giving sore-legged Salvador Perez a break Sunday, Royals manager Ned Yost needed to fill the fourth spot in the batting order with somebody else against Mariners left-hander Roenis Elias.

"I could've hit him second," Yost said. "Those were my two choices, to hit him fourth or second but late in the game they've got power right-handed arms and when they came back around, I wanted Hoz to get that at-bat. So we left it like that."

Valencia pointed out that he hit fourth four times for the Orioles in last year's September postseason race. He was 3-for-12 in those games.

Perez was resting a badly bruised left leg, giving him back-to-back days combined with Monday's off-day. He's expected to catch again Tuesday night against the Rockies.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.